Bedstead



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. ST. CHARLES, OF FAIRMONT, VIRGINIA.

BEDSTEAD.

. Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,518, dated June 8, 1858.

To all rwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM ST. CHARLES,

of Fairmont, in the county of Marion, in the State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Framing the Four Posts of Bedsteads Together; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in framing the four posts of a bedstead together, by passing three round tenons of a suitable size, attached to the rails thereof, through each post, two parallel tenons and the other at a right angle, and reeving a screw nut or incline outside of the post, and on the projecting ends of the tenon. By this construction I have a bearing surface, from the round tenons on the rails, and the round hole in the post, the tenon neatly itting the said hole, entirely through the post forming a stay or support, from every direction. In addition to this the post is held firmly between two bearing surfaces, on each tenon, the shoulder of the rail on one side of the post, and the nut whose bearing surface, is equal to the square of the post on the other side. Then placing a right hand nutor inclination on one end of the rail, and a left hand-nut on the other end of said rail. Proceed in this way with the four rails, then pass these tenons through four posts, and we shall form a hollow square, or the frame work of a bedstead; then turn up each nut, until the shoulder on the rail and the nut on the tenon shall both touch the post. The nut now being held by beards on the the inside thereof, and acting against the surface of the post, the rails may now be turned toward the hollow square to tighten, and thus the whole frame is made substantial, and at the same time, portable if required by reversing the turns. Cords, sacken bottoms, &c., may be tightened, without removing them from the bed-stead by reversing two of the aforesaid rails, and turning up the nuts at the same time; which convenience of tightening the cord in this manner, has not been performed to my knowledge heretofore.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct my bed-steads in any of the known forms, and apply thereto head and foot boards, rollers, cords, slats, sackenbottoms, and all the other appendages for such bed-steads. But in order to produce a more substantial frame at a less expense to the manufacturer, and be enabled to offer to the public a better and cheaper article of furniture, an article which the housekeeper can take down and put up, without being obliged to charter the services of a mechanic in that line, and when put up is an effectual preventive to the inroads of those insidious and rapacious bed sharks which not infrequently lie secreted in the joints, and at night, muster their squadrons, and arouse the weary traveler from sweet and needful repose, to the painful certainty of their presence.

Figure 1st is a square rail that reaches from post to post as may be seen at E E F F. The said rail has a round tenon on each end, which passes through the post by means of a round hole in the post and projects with a screw thread thereupon, suiiiciently far as to receive the nuts O O, Figs. 1st and 5th. One of these tenons screws into the end of the rail J, Fig. 5th, with a colla-r firmly affixed thereto, Figs. 5th and 6th, L L, the same is screwed up until the said collar, and end of said rail shall come together as may be seen at Fig. 5 J, the same being made fast to the rail by a small screw, or other means, through the hole Fig. 5 K K. The thickness of said collar is inserted into the post as seen at L, Fig. 5th, the said rail having a dowel pin on the end thereof as seen at 11, a Figs. 5th and 6th to prevent its turning.

Fig. 8th is a round rail, with a tenon on each end, passing through each post as may be seen at I I L L, Fig. 8th, with a screw thread on each end and nuts applied as in Fig. lst. Fig. 7 th the same construction as Fig. 8th.

Fig. 2d is a round rail shoulder at E E F F with tenons passing through the posts by means of round holes in the posts with a right inclination screw thread on one end, and left inclination screw thread on the other end thereof the nuts O O Fig. 2d, being placed thereon are turned up to the posts, having beards on the inside thereof as may be seen in Fig. 3d and 4th, c' z' z' z'. The rail may now be acted upon, to tighten or loosen, the beards holding the nuts from turning. Fig. 3d and 4th are round rails, and called the side or long rails of a bedstead, the said rails having round tenons thereupon as shown at A B C D with right inclination of a screw thread upon one end of the tenons and a left inclination of a screw thread upon the other end as shown at e' f g 7L. Fig. 3d and Llth: The said round tenons are inserted into round holes A B C D in Fig. lst and 2d and pass entirely through the post, and project outside of the saine sufficient-ly to receive the nuts e f g z, thereupon. rIhe nuts may now be turned up by hand unt-il the shoulder on the rail and nut on the tenon shall both strike the post, the nuts having' beards on the inside thereof, and the holding principle of said beard reversed froin the manner in which the nut turns to screw up, as may be seen in Figs. 3d and 4th 7l z' z' z'. The rails inay now'be turned toward the hollow square, and the beards and said nuts will hold the saine from turning. From this principle of construction, the more weight is placed upon the bed the inore firmly the posts are held between the shoulder on the rail, and the nut on the opposite side of the post.

I do not claim separately any of the parts described; but

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of old devices newly arranged in the following manner: the collar L the tenons A B C D, the holes A B C D, the nuts e f g L, and the cylindrical bearded wire, arranged in combination with the construction of the head and foot board I I'L L, the whole being arranged to operate conjointly as and for the purposes set forth.

IVILLIAM ST. CHARLES. Y

Vitnesses:

J. R. HOFFMAN, J. C. HOFFMAN. 

